Inside Root River Current | Now Hiring Publishing and Social Media Support

SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA – Innovation, creativity and collaboration are key to a dynamic digital news operation. To that end, Root River Current is seeking production support to further its publishing success.

Root River Current (RRC) is an online magazine created by the people of our local area for the people of our local area; we strive to publish stories about individuals, communities and culture that uniquely define the southeast corner of Minnesota – stories that are often under-reported or overlooked by other media. 

RRC invites inquiries and proposals from individuals or firms with experience using a wide array of digital/online production tools to help produce, market and distribute our content via social media, newsletters, website and multiple forms of digital marketing.

Sound appealing? Here’s what we’re looking for:

Skills and services that support distribution and promotion

Social media 

• Create and post RRC’s stories, photography and other content across social-media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky. 
• Collaborate with production team members to create content for social media platforms; craft accurate, compelling copy, visuals and original (copy, videos, photos) materials.
• Explore layout and presentation options for RRC’s social media platforms.
• Schedule and maintain weekly and other special postings. 
• Occasionally, and when/where appropriate, engage with audiences in comments and question threads. 

Newsletter  

• Compile, edit and produce weekly content newsletters. 
• Help the production team build and distribute special newsletters, as needed.  
• Explore layout and presentation options for RRC’s newsletters. 

Content publishing and marketing  

• Assist production team in managing submissions, contributors, schedules and other details related to content publishing.
• Build stories for the RRC website; provide website content management utilizing WordPress.
• Update and rearrange content pages, as warranted, with fresh content.
• Explore layout and presentation options for the RRC website. 
• Collaborate with the team to develop and implement effective marketing strategies for online, social media and other potential audiences.

Desired skills, knowledge, abilities

Note: Few (if any) candidates or agencies will have extensive experience with every element of digital publishing or every related editing tool. If you have several of the experiences and skills listed below – and the enthusiasm to learn more – let’s talk! (Our production staff will flex its duties to support the best possible team.)

• Social and multimedia skills; familiarity with writing and posting on social media. 
• Experience sharing information on social-media platforms, and gathering photos or video in the field.
• Experience creating and editing video for platforms such as Instagram, Facebook or YouTube.
• Experience with digital publishing platforms, WordPress, Mailchimp.
• Familiarity with visual editing tools, such as Adobe Creative Suite, Canva or others. 
• Experience in media relations or journalism: reporting, writing and producing news/information; ability to work on a deadline.  
• Sound news judgment; adherence to journalism values including accuracy, equity, fairness and respect.    
• Experience/portfolio representing successful digital media strategies. 
• Strong capacity to work independently and take initiative, while collaborating well with coworkers and accepting direction.  

Services/location

Root River Current is a southeast Minnesota, online regional media organization. We function virtually allowing services to be provided remotely; for individuals, this is an ideal work-from-home independent contract-for-service opportunity. 

RRC expects to contract for 8-10 hours weekly; the selected digital services provider will be responsible to the co-publishers and the RRC Board of Directors, working in tandem with RRC’s production manager. Contracted services are negotiable, beginning at $30/hour depending on qualifications and experience.

Learn more, submit proposals

Your social media and journalism skills can advance our cause! Proposals or letters of inquiry, resumes and portfolios and other supporting materials (online links are welcomed) should be sent to: Publisher@RootRiverCurrent.org

Inquiries and proposals will be reviewed as received, with preference given to materials received before September 5, 2025.